I Am a Rock

A winter’s day, in a deep and dark December
I am alone ….

This sort of isolation is a year-round, everyday occurrence for the practicing visual artist. While many artists are by nature gregarious creatures, many are not, myself included. But one thing we all have in common is the solitude of our studio time.

Abstraction: My five year old could do that….

“My five year old could do that”? One could relate this to any abstract form of art or thought, be it music, poetry, or literature, not to mention theology, philosophy or theoretical physics. To this point, I would like to share an excerpt from a wonderful book that I received years ago as a gift from an artist friend.

Everything I needed to know I learned at the racetrack

Take risks. Trust your hunch. Let go of what seems valuable. Deal with loss gracefully. Try your hardest, against all odds. Be humble, or be humbled. Accept imperfection. Love others where they’re at. Forgive and get over it. The family of man includes everyone. Keep one eye watchful at all times. You’re in this thing alone.

Half of talent is desire

I do have an extreme desire to spend a great deal of my time making paintings, thinking about paintings, staring at paintings and dreaming about paintings. When I relate to a routine to my work day in the studio, I find that … It is an exhausting day, both physically and mentally. People often comment “at least you’re doing something relaxing”. Relaxing? That is hilarious. It’s anything but relaxing! It can be as relaxing as being in labor. That said, the “birth” of a painting is a thrill and a joy.

The Importance of Repetition

“If you like something, do it again, and then again, and then again.” This is how series are born, for sure, but more than that, it is practice.